Bears Defeat Hornets, 77-61

Thursday, February 13

Sacramento, Calif.

8 p.m.

University of Northern Colorado

19-7,11-2Big Sky

Sacramento State

6-19,2-10Big Sky

Northern Colo.

Sacramento St.

2/13/2025 10:16:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score Final Game Book (PDF)

Isaiah Hawthorne Led All Scorers With 24 Points

By: Brooke Richards, Assistant Director of Strategic Communications

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Northern Colorado extended its dominance in Big Sky play with a commanding 77-61 victory over Sacramento State on Thursday night at The Nest.

Northern Colorado (19-7, 11-2 Big Sky) never trailed in the contest, jumping out to a 10-0 lead in the first four minutes and maintaining control throughout. Graduate student forward Isaiah Hawthorne led the Bears with a game-high 24 points, shooting 6-of-13 from the field, including three triples, while adding eight rebounds and five steals. Junior guard Langston Reynolds contributed 14 points and four assists, while Jaron Rillie and Marcell McCreary each chipped in 11 points.

The Bears set the tone early, hitting 7-of-16 from beyond the arc in the first half and forcing six Sacramento State turnovers en route to a 45-25 halftime lead. Hawthorne and Reynolds combined for 17 first-half points, while the defense limited the Hornets (6-19, 2-10 Big Sky) to just 34.5 percent shooting in the opening frame.

Sacramento State made a push in the second half, cutting the deficit to 14, 59-45, with 10:28 remaining. However, Northern Colorado quickly responded with a pair of free throws from Taeshaud Jackson to spark a 13-5 run to stretch the lead back to 22 with four minutes remaining. The Hornets never got closer than 16 points the rest of the way, as the Bears closed out the victory with efficient shooting and strong defensive play.

Northern Colorado finished the game shooting 44.6 percent from the field, including 10-of-26 from deep, while holding Sacramento State to 38.7 percent overall and just 4-of-20 from three-point range. The Bears also controlled the boards, outrebounding the Hornets 39-33, and won the turnover battle 11-10.

UP NEXT
The Bears will finish out their trip to the west coast with a match up against Portland State on Saturday with tipoff scheduled for 3 p.m. MST.

BIG SKY CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP TICKETS
Tickets for the 2025 Big Sky Basketball Championships, presented by Idaho Central Credit Union, are on sale now. The men's and women's basketball tournaments will be hosted at Idaho Central Arena on March 8-12.

Fans can purchase all-tournament, all-session ticket packages for both the men's and women's sessions for courtside, reserved, and general admission seating.

Single-session tickets will be available for purchase Monday, Feb. 3. To purchase tickets, visit uncbears.com/tickets or call 970-351-4849.

Tickets can also be purchased at the Campus Commons Ticket Office, Monday-Friday between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. TicketSmarter is the official resale marketplace of UNC athletics.

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